The present invention relates to an agricultural sprayer device particularly useful for the deposition of a chemical agent which is to be distributed on crops.
1. Field of the Invention
When spraying crops with chemical agents such as insecticides, fungicides, and the like, a problem resides in that the plants must be sprinkled on all surfaces as uniformly as possible, and for this reason, the chemical agent is usually atomized. This, however leads to the disadvantage that the wind may interfere whereby the mist is carried away by the wind and deposited in the wrong places. Additionally, many crops grow into an interwoven tangle so that penetration by sprays is virtually impossible. As such, the underside of the crops remain susceptible to desease and the like with only the tops thereof being protected. As a consequence, economic factors as well as considerations regarding the damage to environment due to the excessive use of potentially hazardous spraying agents have promoted the development of more efficient methods and implements for reducing the required dose rates by ensuring a correct deposition of the spraying agent.
Forced air streams have long been known as an invaluable method of constraining, transporting and depositing sprays for crop protection. Machinery developed for air-assisted spraying ranges from small hand-held devices to large, heavy duty equipment on wheels used to spray bush, vine and tree crops, and broadacre ground crops. Early examples of such machinery are disclosed in British patent no. 685,211 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,332 none of which gained much popularity due to their heavy-weight boom structure which reduced the maximum possible boom width. The same applies to the sprayer disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,274,589 and 3,472,454 which are both cumbersome in use.
In the past decade a number of air-assisted sprayers have been developed, examples of which are described in European patent no. 272,740 (Van den Munckhof), U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,018 (Degania sprayers), Australian patent application no. 14,546/83 (Degania sprayers) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,080 (Hartvig Jensen & Co.). These sprayers comprise a spray boom carrying and air blower an an elongated, flexible sheet provided with an air discharge, either as a slit-like outlet or a series of perforations. Nozzles for spraying a spraying agent are situated alongside the air-flow generating means. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,898 discloses an agricultural sprayer having a rigid outer tube with a flexible, internal air duct. Reference is made to the above patents, and the above US patents are hereby incorporated in the present specification by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is an object of the present invention to provide an agricultural spraying system which allows for a greater flexibility and which may be employed in an increased number of applications.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spraying system having means for providing a controlled air outflow.
An advantage of the agricultural sprayer system according to the present invention is that the air distribution pattern of the air-flow generating means may be varied in a particularly simple manner, allowing the spraying system to be used for spraying different types of crops and spraying crops under varying nature and weather conditions.
It is a feature of the present invention that an agricultural spraying system is provided rendering it possible, using simple means, to produce an air flow pattern which may be altered while, using the same simple means, allowing a variation of the air flow relative to the crops being sprayed and relative to the ground on which the crops are grown.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the above object, the above advantage and the above feature, together with numerous other objects, advantages and features which will be evident from the below detailed description of preferred embodiments of the agricultural spraying system according to the present invention, are obtained by means of an agricultural sprayer unit to be moved by means of a moving vehicle relative to crops to be sprayed with a chemical agent delivered from the agricultural sprayer unit and comprising:
frame means connectable to the moving vehicle for connecting the agricultural sprayer unit to the moving vehicle for moving along with the moving vehicle, PA1 tank means supported by the frame means for storing the chemical agent, PA1 boom means linked to and extending from the frame means defining a specific orientation relative to the crops, PA1 nozzle means supported by and positioned along the boom means and communicating with the tank means for receiving the chemical agent from the tank means for generating an automized jet of the chemical agent to be expelled from the nozzle means and sprayed onto the crops, and PA1 air-flow generating means supported by the frame and extending along the boom means for generating an air flow directed from the air-flow generating means to the crops, the air-flow generating means being divided into a number of subsections positioned along the boom means, each subsection including a set of individual air outlets for generating a specific distribution pattern by means of the individual air outlets relative to the atomized jet of the chemical agent, and the specific air distribution patterns generated by the subsections together defining the air flow directed to the crops. PA1 frame means connectable to the moving vehicle for connecting the agricultural sprayer unit to the moving vehicle for moving along with the moving vehicle, PA1 tank means supported by the frame means for storing the chemical agent, PA1 boom means linked to and extending from the frame means defining a specific orientation relative to the crops, and PA1 nozzle means supported by and positioned along the boom means and communicating with the tank means for receiving the chemical agent from the tank means for generating an automized jet of the chemical agent to be expelled from the nozzle means and sprayed onto the crops, PA1 the air-flow generating assembly being supported by the frame and extending along the boom means for generating an air flow directed from the air-flow generating means to the crops, the air-flow generating assembly being divided into a number of subsections positioned along the boom means, each subsection including a set of individual air outlets for generating a specific air distribution pattern by means of the individual air outlets relative to the atomized jet of the chemical agent, and the specific air distribution patterns generated by the subsections together defining the air flow directed to the crops. PA1 frame means connectable to said moving vehicle for connecting said agricultural sprayer unit to said moving vehicle for moving along with said moving vehicle, PA1 tank means supported by said frame means for storing said chemical agent, PA1 boom means linked to and extending from said frame means defining a specific orientation relative to said crops, PA1 nozzle means supported by and positioned along said boom means and communicating with said tank means for receiving said chemical agent from said tank means for generating an automized jet of said chemical agent to be expelled from said nozzle means and sprayed onto said crops, and PA1 air-flow generating means supported by said frame and comprising an air-blower and an air duct extending along said boom means for generating an air flow directed from said air-flow generating means to said crops, said air duct being inflatable and comprising an elongated, flexible and air-impervious sheet having longitudinally extending edges, said edges being secured in spaced-apart relationship and extending along said boom means, said inflatable duct comprising elongated connecting elements extending along said edges of said air-impervious sheet, and said longitudinally extending edges being fastened to and interconnected by said elongated connecting elements. PA1 frame means connectable to said moving vehicle for connecting said agricultural sprayer unit to said moving vehicle for moving along with said moving vehicle, PA1 tank means supported by said frame means for storing said chemical agent, PA1 boom means linked to and extending from said frame means defining a specific orientation relative to said crops, PA1 nozzle means supported by and positioned along said boom means and communicating with said tank means for receiving said chemical agent from said tank means for generating an automized jet of said chemical agent to be expelled from said nozzle means and sprayed onto said crops, and, PA1 air-flow generating means supported by said frame and comprising an air-blower and an air duct extending along said boom means for generating an air flow directed from said air-flow generating means to said crops, said air duct being inflatable and comprising an elongated, flexible and air-impervious sheet having longitudinally extending edges, said edges being secured in spaced-apart relationship and extending along said boom means, said inflatable duct comprising elongated connecting elements extending along said edges of said air-impervious sheet, said longitudinally extending edges being fastened to and interconnected by said elongated connecting elements, and said elongated connecting elements comprising separate, releasable air outlet elements.
The air-flow generating means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention fulfils the main purpose of generating a specific air distribution pattern by being divided into a number of subsections including respective sets of outlets rendering it possible to convert the sprayer from a specific application into another for providing a uniform air flow taking into consideration the orientation of the boom means relative to the crops, the crops themselves, the nature and also the weather conditions or alternatively providing an air flow of a specific air distribution pattern promoting the deposits of the chemical agent on the crops in question determined by the position, configuration and orientation of the air outlets of the individual subsections of the air-flow generating means. By forming the air-flow generating means with a number of subsections positioned along the boom, the air outflow may be varied by replacing a specific subsection by another thereby providing a desired overall distribution pattern.
In the present context, the expression defining a specific orientation relative to the crops is to be construed a generic term which refers to the various factors which may influence the actual position of the boom means relative to the crops, as in most instances, the boom means is intentionally positioned so as to position the nozzle means supported by and positioned along the boom means in positions relative to the crops ensuring that the atomized jet of the chemical agent generated and expelled from the nozzle means and sprayed onto the crops causes the chemical agent to be deposited uniformly on the crops. Provided the crops are growing on the ground, the boom means is in most instances positioned extending substantially parallelly with the surface of the ground.
In case the surface of the ground is sloping or the crops growing on the ground are not of uniform heigth, an orientation of the boom means relative to the crops differing from the above described conventional position of the boom means in substantially parallel relationship with the surface of the ground may be provided. Also other factors such as the weather conditions, the configuration of the atomized jet of the chemical agent generated by and expelled by the nozzle means may urge the user or farmer to position the boom means in a position differing from the above described usual parallel relationship relative to the surface of the ground.
In order to compensate for all factors influencing the deposition of the chemical agents on the crops in accordance with the actual requirements usually involving a substantially uniform distribution of the chemical agent onto the crops, the air-flow generating means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention is divided into a number of subsections each generating a specific air distribution pattern together generating the air flow causing the intentional deposition of the chemical agents on the crops. A different application of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention involves the spraying of chemical agents onto crops growing on vertical supports such as grape wine or constituting trees themselves carrying fruits or leaves which are to be sprayed by a chemical agent.
Provided the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention is used for spraying a chemical agent onto trees, the boom means is positioned in an orientation differing from the above described parallel relationship relative to the surface of the ground. In most instances, the boom means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention is positioned in a substantially perpendicular relationship relative to the surface of the ground provided the agricultural sprayer unit is used for spraying a chemical agent onto trees, however, an orientation differing from the perpendicular relationship relative to the surface of the ground may in some instances be employed provided e.g. crowns of trees are to be sprayed by a chemical agent.
For spraying crops positioned in rows or e.g. spraying crowns of trees, the chemical agent expelled by the nozzle means of the agricultural sprayer unit and carried by the air flow generated by the air outlets of the air-flow generating means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention has to be adapted to the actual application which in some instances involves the generation of an air flow by the air-flow generating means concentrated in certain areas along the boom means corresponding to the regions to be impinged by the atomized jet of the chemical agent whereas other subsections of the air-flow generating means generate no air flow. Consequently, in accordance with a specific embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention, the air-flow generating means further comprises a specific subsection including no air outlets and generating no air distribution pattern.
The frame means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention may be implemented in accordance with any specific requirements such as a specific utilization of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention in accordance with a specific moving vehicle as the frame means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention may be adapted to be connected to and moved by the moving vehicle. In accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention, the frame of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention comprises elements for establishing connection to a three-point suspension of the moving vehicle which preferably constitutes an agricultural tractor.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment, the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention constitutes a part of a self propelling unit as the frame means of the agricultural sprayer unit is provided with road wheels. Further alternatively, the frame means may be mounted on a movable trailer which comprises means for establishing connecting to a hitch of a moving vehicle which may be constituted by an agricultural tractor. For alternative applications e.g. within the field of horticulture, the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention may comprise rail wheel which are rolling on rails as the agricultural sprayer unit is moved across the crops by means of a cable, rope or wire drive.
In accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention, the frame means comprises a lift platform which preferably serves the purpose of supporting the boom means allowing the boom means to be shifted from one position to another for altering the orientation of the boom means relative to the crops or alternatively for shifting the boom means from an operational position to a position of rest. Thus, the boom means are preferably rotatably linked to the frame means.
Furthermore, provided the boom means constitutes an elongated boom extending e.g. 10-15 m, or possibly less, from one side of the frame means or both sides of the frame means, the boom means is preferably divided into a plurality of boom sections allowing the boom means to be folded together for reducing the overall dimensions of the agricultural sprayer unit as the agricultural sprayer unit is in a position of rest or moved from one location such as a piece of land to the farm without occupying too much space. For allowing the individual boom sections of the boom means to be folded together, the boom sections are preferably interconnected by means of hinges. Alternatively, the individual boom sections of the boom means may be interconnected by means of locking means such as cooperating catching and locking means allowing the boom section to be easily assembled and disassembled prior to use and after use, respectively.
As stated above, the boom means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention may be orientated in any appropriate orientation relative to the crops which in most instances involves the positioning of the boom means in a substantially parallel relationship relative to the surface of the ground on which the agricultural sprayer unit is moved by means of the moving device.
The tank means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention communicates in accordance with the teachings of the present invention with the nozzle means for delivering the chemical agent stored within the tank means to the nozzle means generating the atomized jet of the chemical agent to be sprayed onto the crops. The tank means may constitute a separate container of the agricultural unit or alternatively an attachable or exchangeable container which is received by container fixation means of the frame means of the agricultural sprayer unit for fixating the container relative to the frame means. The transfer of the chemical agent from the tank means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention may be accomplished through the influence of the gravitational field or alternatively be promoted through the utilization of a pump which constitutes a component of the tank means and which preferably communicates with a tubing for delivering the chemical agent to the nozzle means. The pump may be powered by any appropriate energy source such as an electric motor, a hydraulic or pneumatic motor, or alternatively and preferably be connectable to a power take-off of the moving vehicle which is preferably constituted by an agricultural tractor.
The nozzle means generating the atomized jet may be adapted to generate a specific distribution of the atomized chemical agent which distribution is further influenced by the air flow generated by the air outlets of the subsections of the air-flow generating means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention accomplishing in accordance with the teachings of the present invention a specific intentional deposition of the chemical agent on the crops. It is to be understood that the actual pattern of the atomized jet of the chemical agent generated by the nozzle means together with the orientation of the boom means of the agricultural sprayer unit, and also the above described factors such as the nature and weather conditions along with the actual configuration, orientation and distribution of the individual air outlets of the subsections of the air-flow generating means contribute to the overall deposition of the chemical agent on the crops. In most instances, the nozzle means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention generate the atomized jet as a flat fan constituting a predetermined pattern which together with the above factors and also the orientation of the boom and the distribution, orientation and configuration of the air outlets of the subsections of the air-flow generating means produce an intentional deposition of the chemical agent on the crops.
In the presently preferred embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention, the nozzle means comprise individual nozzles positioned along the boom means at a spacing of 0.25 m-1,25 m, preferably approx. 0.5 m. Alternatively, the nozzle means may be constituted by alternative means for generating the atomized jet of the chemical agent of different configuration or physical shape fulfilling the purpose of providing a predetermined pattern of the atomized jet of the chemical agent.
In order to allow the pattern of the atomised jet generated by the nozzle means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention to be altered in accordance with specific requirements, the individual nozzles are preferably rotatably supported for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the boom means.
In the above described presently preferred embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention comprising a lift platform constituting a part of the frame means of the agricultural sprayer unit, the air-flow generating means characteristic of the present invention are preferably also supported by the lift platform allowing the air-flow generating means to be lifted by the lift platform together with the boom means.
The air-flow generating means may in accordance with the basic realization of dividing the air-flow generating means into subsections in accordance with the teachings of the present invention be constituted by any appropriate means such as individual air blowers, e.g. air blowers arranged along the boom means and constituting respective components of the subsections of the air-flow generating means. According to the presently preferred embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention, the air-flow generating means comprise an air blower and an air duct extending along the boom means, i.e. comprise components to a great extent similar to the components of the air assisted sprayer described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,080 (Hartvig Jensen & Co.).
As described above, the boom means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention preferably comprises a plurality of boom sections, and similarly, the air duct of the presently preferred embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention comprising an air blower and an air duct is preferably also divided into sections corresponding to the boom sections. In a particular advantageous embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention in which the boom means are divided into a plurality of boom sections and in which the air duct is also divided into sections corresponding to the boom sections, each subsection of the air-flow generating means preferably defines a length corresponding to the length of a respective boom section.
In a particular embodiment of the agricutural sprayer unit according to the present invention in which the air-flow generating means is adapted to generate a substantially uniform air flow to the crops, the individual air distribution patterns of the individual subsections of the air-flow generating means are also identical. Consequently, the individual air outlets of the subsections of the air-flow generating means may have identical configuration providing a uniform air flow directed to the crops from the air-flow generating means.
In the above described presently preferred embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention comprising an air blower and an air duct, the air duct is preferably inflatable and comprises an elongated, flexible and air-impervious sheet having longitudinally extending edges. The edges may advantageously be secured in spaced-apart relationship and extend along the boom means as the inflatable duct may comprise elongated connecting elements extending along the edges of the air-impervious sheet, which longitudinally extending edges are fastened to and interconnected by the elongated connecting elements which define the subsection. In the above described advantageous embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention, the individual subsections of the air-flow generating means are constituted by the connecting element which further serve the purpose of securing the edges of the air duct in space-apart relationship and consequently of supporting and fixating the air duct in its intentional configuation.
Alternatively, in the above described presently preferred embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention comprising an air blower and an air duct, the air duct is preferably inflatable and comprises an elongated, flexible and air-impervious sheet having longitudinally extending edges. The edges may advantageously be secured in spaced-apart relationship and extend along the boom means as the inflatable duct may comprise elongated connecting elements extending along the edges of the air-impervious sheet, which longitudinally extending edges are fastened to and interconnected by the elongated connecting elements which comprises separate air outlet elements defining the subsections and being releasably connected to said elongated connecting elements. In the above described advantageous embodiment of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention, the individual subsections of the air-flow generating means are constituted by the air outlet element which are releasably connected to the elongated connecting elements which serve the purpose of securing the edges of the air duct in space-apart relationship and consequently of supporting and fixating the air duct in its intentional configuation.
The air-flow generating means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention may apart from being supported by and extending along the boom means be fixated to the boom means in any appropriate manner. Provided the subsections of the air-flow generating means are defined by the connecting elements of the above described presently preferred embodiment, the elongated connecting elements may preferably constitute elements also serving the purpose of fixating and connecting the air-flow generating means to the boom means as the elongated connected elements are connected to the boom means. The elongated connecting elements may be connected to the boom means in any appropriate manner as the elongated connecting elements may e.g. be fixated relative to the boom means by means of e.g. bolts or through welded joints or alternatively, the elongated connecting elements may be rotatably joined to the booms allowing the air-flow generating means to be shifted through rotation relative to the boom means for altering the direction of the air distribution patterns generated by the individual air outlets of the subsections of the air-flow generating means in relation to the orientation of the boom means.
The elongated connecting elements may advantageously secure the longitudinally extending edges of the air impervious sheet in the above described space-apart relationship. The maintenance of the longitudinally extending edges of the air-impervious sheet of the air duct in the spaced-apart relationship may advantageously be established by means of separate fastening means constituting components of the elongated connecting elements or alternatively constituting elements of the impervious sheet and arranged along the longitudinally extending edges. Provided the elongated connecting elements as well as the air-impervious sheet are provided with fastening means, the fastening means of the sheet and the fastening means of the elongated connecting elements are preferably complementary fastening elements serving the purpose of cooperating for fixating the air-impervious sheet relative to the elongated connecting elements.
The longitudinally extending edges of the air-impervous sheet may be permanently fixated to the connecting elements constituting integral components or alternatively be releasably fastened to the connecting elements.
For providing a continuous air-flow generating means, the elongated connecting elements defining the individual subsections of the air-flow generating means of the agricultural sprayer unit according to the present invention are preferably arranged end-to-end.
The above object, the above advantage and the above feature together with numerous other objects, advantages and features which will be evident from the below detailed description of preferred embodiments of the agricultural spraying system according to the present invention are obtained by means of an air-flow generating assembly according to the present invention constituting an element of an agricultural sprayer unit to be moved by means of an air-flow generating assembly of an agricultural sprayer unit to be moved by means of a moving vehicle relative to crops to be sprayed with a chemical agent delivered from the agricultural sprayer unit, the agricultural sprayer unit comprising:
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the above object, the above advantage and the above feature, together with numerous other objects, advantages and features which will be evident from the below detailed description of preferred embodiments of the agricultural spraying system according to the present invention, are obtained by means of an agricultural sprayer unit to be moved by means of a moving vehicle relative to crops to be sprayed with a chemical agent delivered from said agricultural sprayer unit comprises:
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the above object, the above advantage and the above feature, together with numerous other objects, advantages and features which will be evident from the below detailed description of preferred embodiments of the agricultural spraying system according to the present invention, are obtained by means of an agricultural sprayer unit to be moved by means of a moving vehicle relative to crops to be sprayed with a chemical agent delivered from said agricultural sprayer unit, comprises:
The air-flow generating assembly according to the present invention may adtageously comprise any of the features of the above described alternative embodiments of the agricultural sprayer according to the present invention.